Celebrate Kindness This Week—And Every Week!

As many as one in three students report being bullied at school. LGBTQ students in particular are at an even higher risk.

When I was younger I played on a baseball team, and like all athletes, sometimes we made mistakes. I used to get really upset whenever this happened. But then my coach recommended a strategy for dealing with my frustrations. Whenever I made an error, he told me to pretend I was shutting a door on it.

This week is GLSEN’s No Name-Calling Week and all over the country students, teachers, coaches, and families are celebrating kindness together. They’re shutting out the bullying and the harassment that impact so many students, and they’re opening the doors to kindness, compassion, and empathy.

At first I thought I thought this was ridiculous, but then somehow it seemed to work! I’d close an imaginary door and open up an imaginary new one, and with that hand motion, I’d shut out the bad throw or whatever happened in the game that made me upset. Strike-out? Shut the door. Miss a fly ball? Shut the door. Then I’d step into the next play with renewed determination.

This week is GLSEN’s No Name-Calling Week and all over the country students, teachers, coaches, and families are celebrating kindness together. They’re shutting out the bullying and the harassment that impact so many students, and they’re opening the doors to kindness, compassion, and empathy.

Bullying and name-calling are rampant in schools all over the country. As many as one in three students report being bullied at school. LGBTQ students in particular are at an even higher risk: Almost 75% of LGBTQ students were verbally harassed in the past year because of their sexual orientation, and more than half of LGBTQ students actually heard homophobic remarks from teachers or school staff.

[T]his week we collectively shut out all the mean names and the hateful language, and we rededicate ourselves to creating safe and affirming school climates. One by one and school by school, we will shut the door on name-calling.

These numbers are overwhelming and demonstrate an urgent need for schools to transform into spaces that celebrate and empower LGBTQ students. Importantly, these numbers represent people- and not just the targeted students, but also the students and staff both using and observing destructive language. The acts of name-calling and bullying are not isolated; they permeate the school environment and contribute to how people treat one another in general. At the most basic level, no student should ever expect to face harmful and violent language when they walk through their school doors.

So this week we collectively shut out all the mean names and the hateful language, and we rededicate ourselves to creating safe and affirming school climates. One by one and school by school, we will shut the door on name-calling.

This week especially, compliment those around you, connect with your school’s GSA (or talk to your friends and teachers about starting one! GLAD Answers can help!), thank the staff who have always supported you, and get to know your classmates better. Join GLAD in celebrating No Name-Calling Week and #celebratekindness with your friends, your families, your sports teams, and your schools!